Childhood sexual abuse may be important cause of schizophrenia

Childhood sexual abuse is a strong predictor
of schizophrenia in later life, a leading psychiatrist has told the
International Congress of the Royal College of Psychiatrists
2011.

It is a contributing cause of 17 per cent of
cases of psychotic illness including schizophrenia, Professor Paul
Bebbington, Head of the Department of Mental Health Sciences at UCL
(University College London), told the Congress.

“The worse the abuse, the more it increases
the risk of developing psychosis. Someone who has experienced
non-consensual sexual intercourse before the age of 16 is 10 times
more likely to develop the mental disorder,” Professor Bebbington
said.

He continued: “This is especially significant
because sexual abuse is common in childhood. Eight in every 100
people have experienced molestation while one per cent of men and
three per cent of women report having had non-consensual sexual
intercourse under the age of 16. It is possible to calculate that
if childhood sexual abuse ceased, there might be as much as a 17
per cent reduction in people suffering from schizophrenia.”

Professor Bebbington is lead researcher on
the new
research which is published today (Friday, 1 July) in the July
issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry. The research
uses data from the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey. The
researchers found that non-consensual sexual intercourse before the
age of 16 was strongly associated with psychosis. They also found
weaker associations with being sexually molested and inappropriate
sexual talk.

Professor Bebbington told the Congress: “The
increased risk of psychosis may be linked to the intrusive nature
of childhood sexual abuse and having no control over what is
happening to you. It has disastrous effects on self-esteem and
psychological well-being, and is linked to paranoia and
suspiciousness – even in people who don’t go on to develop
psychosis.

“Victims commonly describe sexual abuse as
being accompanied by demands for secrecy and threats if the secrecy
is broken, blocking effective social engagement and leading to
isolation that itself leads to the development of psychotic
symptoms.”

Professor Bebbington said that victims of
sexual abuse identified by social services or the criminal justice
system should be offered support to help them deal with the
psychological consequences of abuse before psychiatric disorders
emerge.